7:30 PM Academy of Natural Sciences (Bees Classroom)
Meeting called by President Martin Dellwo
Vice President: George Armistead
Secretary: Linda Widdop
Attendees: 31
Guests: Bob Sharp, Joseph Bernstein, Cindy Bourgeois
Opening Remarks Martin Dellwo
Marty Dellwo calls the meeting to order and welcomes members and guests.
Minutes from last meeting approved by membership
Reports of Council – next Council Meeting scheduled for June 29th
Committee Reports
Membership: Bonnie Witmer
Bonnie welcomes new member Michael Walter. Donald Heintzelman rejoined.
Banquet Committee: Lauren Diamond
The 2017 banquet will be held at Sheet Metal Workers Union Hall again this year. Lauren is asking for volunteers to help with artwork too.
Communications: Linda Widdop
Linda Widdop reminds members that they can submit photos to be posted on the DVOC website. Send photos to Navin Sasikumar. Photos should portray a single bird and have a solid background for best use. Also, please send any member profile updates to Navin including photo if desired to be posted on the member pages on the website.
Cassinia: Matthew Halley
Matt is in the final stages for publication of issue #76 which should be published this summer. Matt is accepting submissions for issue #77 now.
Field Trips: Bob Horton
Rittenhouse Square report –Navin – 7 species of warblers, many new birders attended.
Heinz report – Jack Creighton led 15 birders and saw 11 species of warblers plus Brown Thrashers
2 trips scheduled to Lakehurst for Upland Sandpipers led by Dave Long and Bob Horton. Dave’s trip is full. All registrations due by Saturday for Bob’s trip.
May 27, 2017 @ 7:30 am – 11:30 am
Glassboro WMA
200 Carpenter Ave, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA
We’ll explore this area, looking for nesting Hooded and Worm-eating Warblers, and hopefully see the elusive Kentucky Warbler that has nested there in the past.
Trip Leader – Anne Reeves
May 28, 2017 — 7:00 AM
White Clay Creek State Park
DVOC is excited to offer for the first time, a field trip to observe color-banded Veeries (Catharus fuscescens) at the long-term study site of Dr. Christopher Heckscher, professor at Delaware State University (DSU).
Trip Leader: Matthew Halley
Details can be found at http://dvoc.org/activities/field-trips/
Upcoming Meetings:
June 1, 2017 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
The Academy of Natural Sciences, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Philadelphia, PA 19103, USA
Zoe Yost – Owling at the Moon: Explorations on Silent Wings
Zoe Yost is a fourteen-year-old naturalist, writer, artist, musician, and yogini. An active birder since age six, she has presented at and co-led birding walks with the Delmarva Ornithological Society, raised over $5,000 for the Delaware Bird-A-Thon, and worked as a banding assistant for Dr. Ian Stewart.
Meeting schedule and details can be found at http://dvoc.org/wp/activities/meetings/
Announcements
George Armistead announces the American Birding Expo which is a birding trade show, will be coming to Valley Forge on Sept 29th. The Expo has been held in Ohio but now moving to the Phila metro area. George will be coordinating field trips and asking DVOC members to save the date.
Gregg Gorton reports that Middle Creek WMA may be closed due to Pennsylvania state budget cuts. More details to follow.
Matt Halley announces that Brian Quindlen’s World Series of Birding team came in 2nd place in the adult section. The Ridin’ Birdy team stayed in Burlington County this year and won the Burlington County blitz with 75 species at Palmyra Cove.
Matt Halley also reports that he met with Keith Russell and people from Pennypack Preserve in Montgomery County and Pennypack Environmental Center in Philadelphia to raise Phila’s IBA status to International due to Wood Thrush breeding.
Local Notes
Marty Dellwo reports Nashville and Magnolia warblers in his yard in Center City Philadelphia this week – both new yard birds for him.
Robb Bierregaard had 45 bird species in his yard with 9 warbler species on one day this week and a total of 50 in 3 days.
Navin Sasikumar had Blackburnian warbler in his yard this week.
Anne Bekker had an incredible day at Carpenter’s Woods including Kentucky, Wilsons, Canada, etc .
Nate Sharp had Blackburnian and Baybreasted in his yard.
Bob Horton had a great day at Sandy Hook on Wed.
Jack Creighton saw many DVOCers at Heinz on Tuesday and also Wilson’s Warbler.
Linda Widdop reports seeing 2 Little Egrets at both Heislerville WMA in NJ and Ashton Track in DE over the past 2 weeks.
Brian Quindlen had a Wilson’s Warbler at the school where he works plus many other warblers.
Bob Sharp had 2 Red-breasted Nuthatches at the feeder through mid-April this year.
Matt Halley had Cape May warbler in West Philly and another at Bartram’s Garden plus BB Cuckoo.
Mike O’Brien had Yellow warbler at the senior home. Today there were 6 Chimney Swifts
Brian Carpenter had a few Cape May warblers at Independence Park this week.
Kate Garchinsky announces that they moved to a new home in Montgomery County with 70+ species so far. Invites members to come out birding in the yard.
Hart Rufe has a Purple Martin colony with 130 gourds up and 200 Martins. A Cooper’s Hawk preys on the Martins everyday. Asking for suggestions to get rid of the Cooper’s Hawk.
Doug Wechsler – Discover One Bird, Save a Thousand
An odd bird is discovered in cloud forest of the Andes Mountains of Ecuador. Scientist rushing to find out more about the bird find themselves in a race to save it. Cascading events lead to the establishment of a chain of bird reserves and conservation action across the globe.
Adjournment
Marty Dellwo Adjourns the meeting at 8:50 PM. About a dozen members gathered at Cherry Street Tavern to continue the discussion.